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Port Dalhousie historic buildings torn down to build a high rise
Uploaded by Tammy Locke Nov 12, 2012 8:03 PM EST 5075 views
Port Dalhousie is a historic site and tourist area in St Catharines which had height limitations in place for the buildings. Developers are now ripping down the nice old buildings to make way for a high rise and new buildings. As you can see from the photos the entire block is being ripped up. Why would the city allow this to happen?
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A few facts from a government site called HistoricPlaces.ca:
http://www.historicplaces.ca/en/rep-reg/place-lieu.aspx?id=8348&pid=0
Port Dalhousie Heritage Conservation District
Formally Recognized: 2003/03/03
The District preserves the historic street plan with its orientation to the canal and harbour, the shipyard and the lakeshore. The principal east-west streets (Main Street, Dalhousie Avenue and Bayview Avenue) are primarily residential. The commercial core, the canal and harbour area, Lakeside Park and the beach, and the Royal Henley Regatta course have all been maintained as important heritage components.
Sources: City of St. Catharines By-law 99-380; Port Dalhousie Heritage Resource Inventory, St. Catharines Heritage Committee, 1998
"Nice old buildings" is definitely a subjective assessment. I live in Port Dalhousie, and in my view nothing could be further from the truth. As well, we live in a democracy, and democracy was what determined the ultimate fate of these eye sores. In other words, the majority were served. Not a faceless entity called the 'City', and not a minority (supposedly 600 strong) NIMBY group, but rather ... the citizens of St. Catharines.
I'm not sure where Tammy Locke received her information prior to writing this article and caption, but she needs to know the information she is publicizing is incorrect and misleading. No historical buildings are being torn down. The entire project - including height limitations and which buildings are actually historic, have gone through five+ years of study by specialists, copious public meetings were held, a this went through two terms of council and has received the stamp of approval from the OMB after a lengthy process. For this type of reporting to be blatently lacking in 'investigative journalism' is very disappointing. Should she, or any other reporter care to have actual facts, I would be pleased to facilitate a meeting with the principals involved.
Dramatic photo but misleading caption. The building being torn is not a nice old building. The exterior was torn down in 1984 and rebuilt on the existing columns and beams. The high rise being built will be on what was and is a vacant portion of the property. The only other buildings subject to demolition were two wood frame/block single-story structures of no historical value built in the '50s. All heritage buildings on site and adjacent to the site are being preserved.